Why can specialty coffee cost more?
When we buy a bag of coffee we are not only paying for the product we see packaged. Behind it there is a whole chain of production and work.
On the farm
Growing, maintenance, nutrition, harvest and fruit selection are all part of the cost of producing coffee. Selective picking, choosing only ripe fruit, is slower and costs more than stripping everything at once.
Processing and preparation
After harvest come stages such as processing, drying, storage and grading. Each one needs infrastructure, time and judgement.
Roasting and weight loss
During roasting, coffee loses weight as it releases moisture and other compounds. That is why the weight of green coffee is not fully preserved after roasting.
That detail explains more than it seems: part of the coffee bought as green simply never reaches the bag. The cost, however, has already been paid.
Packaging and distribution
To all of the above add packaging, labels, grinding where required, transport, invoicing and customer service.
Price and value
Comparing coffees on price alone can leave out important differences in quality, freshness, origin, selection and service. Price is one figure; value is another thing.
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Growing, roasting and brewing, written by the people who do it on the farm. No offers, no noise.
